1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ophthalmic laser treatment apparatus for performing Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty by irradiating a patient's eye with a laser beam.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there is known an apparatus for performing Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) in which an Nd:YAG laser source having a Q-switch and a wavelength conversion element is included, and reduction in intraocular pressure is induced by irradiating trabecular meshwork of a patient's eye with a visible laser beam having an extremely short pulse width of the order of nanoseconds which is generated by the Q-switch and emitted (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,596). Different from Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty which induces reduction in intraocular pressure by coagulating (photocoagulating) trabecular meshwork with a laser beam and constricting a part of the trabecular meshwork, SLT allows treatment by re-irradiation because SLT does not have an effect on a net-like structure of the trabecular meshwork.
However, the conventional apparatus for SLT uses the laser source having the Q-switch in order to emit the laser beam having the extremely short pulse width of the order of nanoseconds, but does not use a laser source capable of emitting a continuous wave laser beam. In addition, such an apparatus is dedicated only to SLT and cannot be used for other treatment.